Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Use Reaches Historic Lows, While Vaping Continues to Decline

Lindsey Stroud

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released the 2023 results of Wisconsin’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Conducted biennially in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the YRBS monitors youth behaviors ranging from diet and physical activity to substance use and mental well-being.

There is encouraging news for Wisconsin policymakers: youth use of traditional tobacco products is at record lows, and e-cigarette use has declined since peaking in 2019. Although use of other substances – including alcohol and cannabis – has increased slightly in recent years, overall use has declined.

In 2023, only 16.7 percent of Wisconsin high school students reported ever trying a combustible cigarette. Just 3.4 percent were currently smoking (defined as use on at least one of the past 30 days), 0.7 percent were frequent smokers (20 or more days), and 0.7 percent reported daily smoking. These are historic lows. Between 2003 and 2023, ever-use declined by 69.1 – percent from 64 percent to 16.7 percent. Current use fell by 85.6 percent, frequent use by 94 percent, and daily use by 91.7 percent.

Use of other tobacco products remains low, though there have been slight increases in cigar and smokeless tobacco use. In 2023, 6.1 percent of students reported current cigar use – up from 2.4 percent in 2021 but down significantly from 17.1 percent in 2005. Similarly, 3.4 percent reported current use of smokeless tobacco, up from 2.4 percent in 2021 but down from 5.9 percent in 2017.

Youth use of e-cigarettes has received growing attention. In 2019, vaping peaked in Wisconsin: 45.5 percent had ever tried an e-cigarette, 20.6 percent were currently vaping, 8.5 percent were frequent users, and 5.6 percent were daily users. By 2023, those numbers had declined to 34.4 percent (ever use), 15.7 percent (current), 7.1 percent (frequent), and 5.2 percent (daily).

Lawmakers should also consider youth use of other age-restricted substances, which, though lower than in years past, remain prevalent. In 2023, 26.2 percent of students reported current alcohol use – a 1.9 percent increase from 2021, but a 44.6 percent drop from 2003, when 47.3 percent reported drinking. Meanwhile, 16.2 percent were currently using marijuana – up19.1 percent from 2021 but still 25.7 percent below 2003 levels.

Notably, in 2023, 1.7 times more students were using alcohol than vaping. Yet while vapor products face frequent proposals for bans or taxes, alcohol use among youth continues with far fewer legislative restrictions.

Policymakers should celebrate Wisconsin’s progress: youth smoking and vaping are at historic lows. Meanwhile, adult use of e-cigarettes – often among those who currently or formerly smoked – continues to grow. Between 2016 and 2023, the number of adult e-cigarette users in Wisconsin rose by 24.5 percent. Continued monitoring of youth behaviors is important, but lawmakers should avoid policies that could unintentionally drive more adults back to smoking.

Nothing in this analysis is intended to influence the passage of legislation, and it does not necessarily represent the views of Tobacco Harm Reduction 101.